Research Funding Programs Overview
The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation is pleased to share our 2025 grant initiatives. Each of these programs aims to help faculty and students engage in sustainability research, education and outreach. RFP summaries and application links can be found in the following grid.
| Program | Due Date | Funding Decisions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Seed Grants in Sustainability (PDF) | February 17, 2025 | April 2025 | By June 30, 2026 |
| John C. Mascaro Faculty Programs in Sustainability (PDF) | February 17, 2025 | April 2025 | By June 30, 2026 |
| Sustainability Student Grants (online application form) | Rolling (Monthly Review) | Rolling (Monthly Review) | By June 30, 2026 |
Research Seed Grants in Sustainability
This annual seed grant program is aimed at engaging a core team of researchers who are passionate about sustainability. The goals of the grants are to catalyze the formation of interdisciplinary synergistic research teams focused on sustainability fund projects capable of obtaining external funding upon completion; and enhance Pitt’s national recognition in sustainability and the visibility of interdisciplinary sustainability research on campus.
Requirements, guidelines, and submission instructions are available in the MCSI Research Seed Grant Program in Sustainability PDF.
Learn more about Research Seed Grants.
View past Research Seed Grant Recipients.
John C. Mascaro Faculty Programs in Sustainability
The John C. Mascaro Faculty Programs in Sustainability is designed to enhance the University’s mission of interdisciplinary excellence in sustainability research and education. Faculty members from ALL disciplines across ALL campuses of the University of Pittsburgh are encouraged to apply. All Faculty are eligible to apply for Faculty Fellowships, Scholarships and or Lectureships in Sustainability.
Application requirements, eligibility, and submission instructions are included in the John C. Mascaro Faculty Programs in Sustainability PDF.
Learn more each program and view the history of past recipients at
Sustainability Student Grants
The goal of this program is to provide support (funds, makerspace access, feedback, connections to Pitt expertise, and references) to students interested in building innovations to enhance sustainability. ANY and ALL Pitt students are invited to submit concepts for innovative prototypes (products or processes) that they would like to build to enhance sustainability.
Application instructions and application are available through the Sustainability Student Grants online form.
Additional Funding Opportunities
Faculty
The Global Engagement in Sustainability Grant assists faculty in sharing, developing, and expanding their research or professional practice beyond the Pittsburgh region. Recipients engage with a variety of external partners, working in areas that strongly align with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
View Global Engagement Grant recipients.
Arts & Humanities Microgrants in Sustainability support smaller-scale projects or individual faculty or teams in the arts and humanities. These grants are intended to enhance the internal funding opportunities which enable faculty to support and expand university-wide interdisciplinary sustainability programs as they relate to education, research, and engagement.
View Arts & Humanities Microgrant recipients.
Students
MCSI and the Office of Sustainability are partnered with the Pitt Green Fund to fund student projects on campus. When applications are live, proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to apply via the Pitt Green Fund online application. Students can additionally apply for MCSI's Summer Undergraduate Research Program, which allows students to directly engage with sustainability research on a full-time basis while receiving compensation.